HOW A RECYCLING QUESTION FOR MAYOR DELUCA RESULTED IN A POST OFFICE SITE RESTAURANT

As the former Maplewood Village post office project takes shape, the third retail tenant has been revealed - a restaurant to be opened by Maplewood residents Tom and Jennifer Carlin.

But it all stated with a recycling question for Mayor Vic Deluca a year ago. 

The Carlins, who operate the successful Gladstone Tavern in, of course, Gladstone, reached out to Deluca last year to ask about curbside recycling of all things.

"Before calling back Mr. Carlin, I found out he owned the Gladstone Tavern," Deluca explained in an email today. "After speaking with him about recycling, I asked if he would consider opening a restaurant in Maplewood. He said he was very interested but needed a liquor license." 

Tom and Jennifer Carlin

Deluca said he connected Carlin with an unnamed building owner in town, but those talks fell through.

"Earlier this year, I found out a liquor license was becoming available and spoke with (post office site developer Joe) Forgione ... who expressed an interest in obtaining that license," Deluca explained. "Then I called Mr. Carlin and asked him to contact Mr. Forgione to begin discussions about locating here in Maplewood."

Deluca said the liquor license in question was held by the former B. Hathaway Restaurant on Springfield Avenue, which is now being renovated to reopen as Cornbread sometime next year.

"There were serious negotiations over the summer and into the fall and I constantly spoke to Joe, Tom and Jennifer to keep the deal alive," the mayor said. "A lease has now been signed and we will have a new restaurant and bar owned by a local family opening in 2017." 

The mayor added, "I am very happy that an agreement was reached between the parties. I think the new restaurant will be a tremendous asset for Maplewood Village. It is exactly the type of business we envisioned when we embarked on the redevelopment project." 

The project, which will have 20 apartments and five retail spaces, also has agreements to open a BCB Bank branch and a Starbucks.  

Another restaurant planning to open in Maplewood Village is at the site of the former Highland Place, where the owners of Publick House in Mountainside have begun renovations and hope to be in business by early 2017.